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Dark Isle #1
Dark Isle
Mark Stine is an American academic enjoying his year as a visiting professor at Cambridge University. But when he starts researching the long-dead English writer, Monty Summerskill, he quickly discovers that truth is stranger than fiction. Turns out Summerskill's ghost stories were based on horrifying reality. One that caused the author's shocking death. Mark's journey takes him to dark places, where he finds himself haunted by a ghost from his troubled childhood. But that's nothing compared to the terrors that await as he heads towards the Dark Isle, where the solution to an ancient mystery lies. Something far more terrifying than any ghost is on his trail. Awakened after decades of hibernation, it is deadly, unstoppable and hungry. Hungry for blood.
163 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2016
542 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
April 25, 2023
Entertaining horror listening 🎶🔰
Another will written British 🏰 paranormal supernatural horror ghost 👻 adventure thriller novel by David Longhorn, Scare Street, and Ron Ripley (Dark Isle Series book one of three). Mark is a visiting professor at the of university in order to continue he must write a paper. His choice is an author who wrote one book of short horror stories and lived in the same room before dying a very strange death over one hundred years ago. This leads to all kinds of different types of horror. I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers paranormal fantasy novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 😀👒😡😮
Great horror adventure. Happy reading and have fun 🌙
Another will written British 🏰 paranormal supernatural horror ghost 👻 adventure thriller novel by David Longhorn, Scare Street, and Ron Ripley (Dark Isle Series book one of three). Mark is a visiting professor at the of university in order to continue he must write a paper. His choice is an author who wrote one book of short horror stories and lived in the same room before dying a very strange death over one hundred years ago. This leads to all kinds of different types of horror. I would recommend this series and author to 👍 readers paranormal fantasy novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 😀👒😡😮
Great horror adventure. Happy reading and have fun 🌙
September 22, 2020
This is a 3.5 star read.
Great start to a new series although the ending felt rushed.
Great start to a new series although the ending felt rushed.
January 1, 2022
Mark Stine is an American academic enjoying a year in Cambridge, England as a visiting professor at the university. Struggling to find a suitable research subject for publication, he is grateful when a fellow academic points him in the direction of long-dead English writer, Monty Summerskill. Mark soon finds that truth is stranger than fiction as the ghosts from Summerskill's stories take corporeal shape, but the worst is The Follower - an invisible entity which stalks its victims.
I wasn't expecting too much from this fairly short read, however, it grabbed my attention from the start. Due to the length of the book, the characters were fairly shallowly developed, & it wasn't as scary as I hoped though, & for that reason I have rated it 3 stars.
I wasn't expecting too much from this fairly short read, however, it grabbed my attention from the start. Due to the length of the book, the characters were fairly shallowly developed, & it wasn't as scary as I hoped though, & for that reason I have rated it 3 stars.
January 24, 2020
DNF at 40% (62 pages in)
I literally never DNF books, especially when they're this short but it was just so, so painfully slow I couldn't bring myself to move any further. Maybe it was because it was free and I didn't feel like I HAD to finish it, but the story was just killing me. The pace was extremely slow, the plot was all over the place, there were too many characters that were all equally bland and shallow. The scary parts barely made me blinked. There were moments that made me grit my teeth, like feminism almost seen as a joke, the word thrown around just for fun; characters laughing about a disabled woman, and the MC (who is a freaking college teacher, a grown man) purposely searching for sex scenes in a horror book written by an old college teacher. What does that bring to the plot?!
So yeah, I can't speak for the entire book but what I read was just so long and let's say it, boring. I just don't want to hear about it, or just see it ever again. (It mysteriously disappeared from my kindle collection.... OOPS.)
I literally never DNF books, especially when they're this short but it was just so, so painfully slow I couldn't bring myself to move any further. Maybe it was because it was free and I didn't feel like I HAD to finish it, but the story was just killing me. The pace was extremely slow, the plot was all over the place, there were too many characters that were all equally bland and shallow. The scary parts barely made me blinked. There were moments that made me grit my teeth, like feminism almost seen as a joke, the word thrown around just for fun; characters laughing about a disabled woman, and the MC (who is a freaking college teacher, a grown man) purposely searching for sex scenes in a horror book written by an old college teacher. What does that bring to the plot?!
So yeah, I can't speak for the entire book but what I read was just so long and let's say it, boring. I just don't want to hear about it, or just see it ever again. (It mysteriously disappeared from my kindle collection.... OOPS.)
August 13, 2017
Disappointing
Definitely not Christian fiction in the least. The plot was hurried and not well thought out. The majority of the book was getting into the plot, while not much was left to make it come to life.
Definitely not Christian fiction in the least. The plot was hurried and not well thought out. The majority of the book was getting into the plot, while not much was left to make it come to life.
January 1, 2020
Excellent story and entertaining writing style.
August 1, 2019
Pleasantly surprised!
- Dark isle, well, I have to say, I am very pleasantly surprised! I wasnt sure by the description that it would be "my thing" but it really took me back! I really enjoyed it, had me guessing on what would happen next, and I could never guess. Just about to start on the next in the series
- Dark isle, well, I have to say, I am very pleasantly surprised! I wasnt sure by the description that it would be "my thing" but it really took me back! I really enjoyed it, had me guessing on what would happen next, and I could never guess. Just about to start on the next in the series
September 4, 2021
Interesting plot
The plot was very interesting but the writing was lackluster, plain, almost amateurish, but it was free from most of the mistakes self-published authors make, and is worth reading.
The plot was very interesting but the writing was lackluster, plain, almost amateurish, but it was free from most of the mistakes self-published authors make, and is worth reading.
September 18, 2023
I’ve read quite a bit of Longhorn’s work through Scare Street anthologies. This was definitely his best out of what I’ve read. I think this is the first curse horror I’ve read. I love a curse in a film, I definitely need more curses in books.
It was really interesting how everyone just accepted that this was a supernatural curse. That threw me off a little, now granted I probably would be one of the first to believe, but typically the curses aren’t believed by anyone who isn’t experiencing them. I loved that most of the people in this book were just like oh yeah that's so and so’s ghost, the follower must be back.
I also really enjoyed that everyone could see the follower or ghosts, like how the girls saw Mark’s friend’s ghost and Jo and Juliet saw the follower. It was also very interesting as to how the curse went about, what would stop it. Also the forms the follower would take; earth, wind, fire, and air. I’m not sure I’ve seen a monster like that before.
Overall, this was a good, unique story. This had a lot of unique qualities that I really enjoyed, that said, not sure I liked it enough to continue the series. It was good enough that if there is too much repetition, it will lose its appeal.
It was really interesting how everyone just accepted that this was a supernatural curse. That threw me off a little, now granted I probably would be one of the first to believe, but typically the curses aren’t believed by anyone who isn’t experiencing them. I loved that most of the people in this book were just like oh yeah that's so and so’s ghost, the follower must be back.
I also really enjoyed that everyone could see the follower or ghosts, like how the girls saw Mark’s friend’s ghost and Jo and Juliet saw the follower. It was also very interesting as to how the curse went about, what would stop it. Also the forms the follower would take; earth, wind, fire, and air. I’m not sure I’ve seen a monster like that before.
Overall, this was a good, unique story. This had a lot of unique qualities that I really enjoyed, that said, not sure I liked it enough to continue the series. It was good enough that if there is too much repetition, it will lose its appeal.
September 9, 2019
A non-stop read
A realistic look at a paranormal happening.
With Marc an American professor visiting to do a residency at oxford on Gothic studies get a little help from a long time tenured professor, Professor Dylan on extending his visiting professor ship for a year. He gives him a book by an under acknowledged author who died on the mysterious circumstances. Little does professor Mark know, But Professor Dylan were chips the Darkside. Who uses the dark air to tease to take care of anyone who gets in his way. Not that Professor Mark got in his way, he just had no one else to give the card to. This book is so good! I do wish they would’ve followed up with Mark and Julie’s dilemma and give it a little finality instead of leaving it open ended but that is just one small thing and the reason I gave this four stars instead of five. I loved it NFL no errors the book was perfect with this one exception.
A realistic look at a paranormal happening.
With Marc an American professor visiting to do a residency at oxford on Gothic studies get a little help from a long time tenured professor, Professor Dylan on extending his visiting professor ship for a year. He gives him a book by an under acknowledged author who died on the mysterious circumstances. Little does professor Mark know, But Professor Dylan were chips the Darkside. Who uses the dark air to tease to take care of anyone who gets in his way. Not that Professor Mark got in his way, he just had no one else to give the card to. This book is so good! I do wish they would’ve followed up with Mark and Julie’s dilemma and give it a little finality instead of leaving it open ended but that is just one small thing and the reason I gave this four stars instead of five. I loved it NFL no errors the book was perfect with this one exception.
July 6, 2019
This novel starts out with a terrifying bang and then jumps to the present, where the hero, Mark Stine is in Cambridge. Mark is about to begin a journey an old author had gone on decades ago. During the journey he learns about Abbott Thomas Beauclerc and the Follower.
And, it ain't good.
This is a scary good ghost story with characters that shine; Mark Stine, Jo Gardner, and Montgomery Summerskill.
I ought to mention that something about this reminded me of the absurd joy of Queen's Sunday Afternoon song. Go have a listen, and read the story.
And, it ain't good.
This is a scary good ghost story with characters that shine; Mark Stine, Jo Gardner, and Montgomery Summerskill.
I ought to mention that something about this reminded me of the absurd joy of Queen's Sunday Afternoon song. Go have a listen, and read the story.
February 10, 2020
I am not huge on "ghost" stories, but I do enjoy them now and then. This one appealed to me because of the ancient even that was accidently brought forth. The story was well written, and it combined the mystery of several murders in with the idea that someone was being somewhat controlled by this ancient evil that has somehow managed to find it's self in the modern world.
It was not edge-of-the-seat terror or anything like it, but it did hold my interest, and basically I found it an interesting story.
It was not edge-of-the-seat terror or anything like it, but it did hold my interest, and basically I found it an interesting story.
October 11, 2023
Was a great suspenseful short novel that was interesting and fun to read but seemed to let down in the epilogue as it could have been dragged out a bit to explain more in detail about the curses and what happened to the characters such as with Mark Stein the author if he did finish his story.
All in all, it was a great little paranormal ghost story.
All in all, it was a great little paranormal ghost story.
February 11, 2024
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this cleverly woven tale & will definitely be looking for more reads by this author. With darkly gothic undertones & some interesting folklore included, it’s a great book for a cold winter night. Plenty to make you jump. Would have given it five stars had the editing been better.
February 1, 2019
Good ghost story right up until the last chapter. That’s when it fell apart. The whole story was wrapped up too quickly, too easily, too conveniently... and with several questions still unanswered. But three stars for getting me through 95% of the book with keen interest.
September 25, 2019
Highly enjoyed this book!!
I wasn't expecting too much, just a silly light read to be truthful. But as I got further into it, it gripped me right and would not let go. I am surely going to get the next two in line for sure!
I wasn't expecting too much, just a silly light read to be truthful. But as I got further into it, it gripped me right and would not let go. I am surely going to get the next two in line for sure!
March 21, 2020
Don’t follow to close.
This paranormal adventure was full of suspense, unfortunate events and great characters. Switching between locations and people searching for answers kept me sitting on the edge of my seat. I didn’t want to put it down. Enjoy reading it yourself!
This paranormal adventure was full of suspense, unfortunate events and great characters. Switching between locations and people searching for answers kept me sitting on the edge of my seat. I didn’t want to put it down. Enjoy reading it yourself!
March 27, 2020
Really a great read
Kept my interest to the last page.very well written.
One of the better ghost / horror stories I have read this year.
I will be looking for more by this author .highly recommend the book.
Kept my interest to the last page.very well written.
One of the better ghost / horror stories I have read this year.
I will be looking for more by this author .highly recommend the book.
August 22, 2020
A lovely ghost story
Well written with enough turns and twists to keep the story interesting, it ends with mystery and I want it to continue, I want to know what happens to the island.
Would recommend to lovers of mystery
Well written with enough turns and twists to keep the story interesting, it ends with mystery and I want it to continue, I want to know what happens to the island.
Would recommend to lovers of mystery
November 14, 2020
This was awesome! I really enjoyed can't wait to read the others in the series. Mark Stine a guest professor at Cambridge University. As he starts researching the long-dead English writer, Monty Summerskill, strange occurrences start happening.
December 18, 2021
Dark and interesting
This is a fairly quick read but the story is solid and easy to follow. I liked the main characters, and the evil made sense. Set the atmosphere well. I liked it.
This is a fairly quick read but the story is solid and easy to follow. I liked the main characters, and the evil made sense. Set the atmosphere well. I liked it.
October 22, 2024
An enjoyable, intriguing, easy read, short story involving the misuse of an ancient power in a modern context. The author was tight with his script but managed to convey the main strands of the story well. A nice read for Halloween.
March 9, 2017
This started out like a typical somewhat slow British ghost story, but the ending was not at all the usual! I really enjoyed what the author did at the end.
September 11, 2017
Enjoyed reading
It was a good read with good characters and a good story . Would have liked to see a bit more background to both but all in all a good read.
It was a good read with good characters and a good story . Would have liked to see a bit more background to both but all in all a good read.
December 3, 2017
Enjoyable
The story was entertaining, main character developed as the story went along, enjoyed enough that will read the next book in the series
The story was entertaining, main character developed as the story went along, enjoyed enough that will read the next book in the series
July 29, 2019
Great book!
Very good book and really good story. I like this writer and hope to read more of his writing.Keep up the great work.Thank you.
Very good book and really good story. I like this writer and hope to read more of his writing.Keep up the great work.Thank you.
September 18, 2019
This book was totally great.
September 23, 2019
The book was interesting, but I found the ending anticlimactic. I suppose it probably ended like this because a sequel is planned, but it was a disappointing climax to this book.
October 7, 2019
Well written and a good story that I read quickly. Good enough that I already got the next book in the series, which I don’t often do.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews